how long will this little 'XXX' phase last?

[driedapricots]

My 23 month old is a nightmare. Clingy..mummy has to do everything, despite all attempts to get daddy involved. Tantrums every 10 minutes some days...every single thing is a battle. Waking early; 4am this morning, usually 5am... 6am is a lie in. This has been going on at this level for about 2 weeks...and seems to have been building up to this for some time. Please tell me it wont last much longer. I know it's all 'normal' toddler behaviour, and accept like everything it's 'just a phase' but some reassurance that it might calm down soon will really help me cope in the meantime. Plus I'm newly pregnant and extremely over emotional!!! Sorry, new to here and don't know all the acronyms...

you have my sympathies - DD is the same age and she is wonderful in many ways, so talkative and affectionate. BUT v early mornings are also common for us (not 4am - that's the middle of the night! but anything after 5am is not unusual... I try to ignore her until 6 but it doesn't generally work).

Also, tears are v frequent and she's so incredibly persistent about what she wants it's really hard not to give in. She'll happily repeat "apple juice" or "chocolate" 100 times getting more and more worked up in the process and it's so wearing saying no the whole time. I know it's a cliché but I guess they're just testing the boundaries

I think pregnancy definitely makes it harder though. I'm now 6.5 months and things are easier but I remember finding the first trimester hellish. I think you forget how tiring/emotional that part of pregnancy is. Looking back, it was almost like being depressed. Just take it easy, do whatever it takes to get through the day and don't beat yourself up if you have to leave him/her to cry for a while until you've caught your breath. It is just a phase and it will get easier.